#i. malaika soloman ›› intro.

[flcralhaze]

{ kylie bunbury , 35 , cis woman , she/her } we are so glad to see you safe, queen malaika soloman of ethiopia ! it’s dangerous out in the world these days , but i hear that you are devoted and shrewd enough to handle it. just don’t let your mistrustfulness bring you down. stay on your guard , because with your secret being at risk for exposure , you wouldn’t want everyone to find out you've amassed a network of spies to keep an eye on the other kingdoms.

basic information.

full name: malaika soloman. nickname: mal , mala. name meaning: angel. age: thirty-five. date of birth: september 10th. astrological sign: virgo. gender & pronouns: cis woman , she / her. orientation: biromantic , bisexual. spoken languages: swahili , english , amharic , oromo , afar , somali , tigrigna , some arabic & can converse in a few other languages spoken in other african kingdoms but isn't fluent. title: queen of ethiopia. martial status: wed to king bakkalcha soloman. loyalty: ethiopia & tanzania but will always put ethiopia first. very distrusting of outside nations and would prefer keeping them at a distance, particularly now.

personality.

positive: devoted ,  shrewd ,  compassionate ,  protective , hardworking. negative: mistrustful ,  proud ,  machiavellian , obstinate , deceitful. moral alignment: lawful neutral. temperament: phlegmatic. mbti: isfj - the defender.

history.

cousin to the rulers of tanzania, malaika knew an advantageous marriage was in her future, a fact she didn't resent but rather looked forward to, but she didn't imagine queenship awaited her. both her parents passed when she was young so her older brother and her were raised alongside their cousins. until her uncle, looking to establish stronger ties with other nations, decided that mal should spend a few years in ethiopia as a guest of the solomans. she loved her time there, spending time in the palace menagerie, reading in the royal library, and learning from the royal tutors. it was during those years that she developed a friendship with the crown prince, who would become her best friend and her first crush.

her time in ethiopia didn't last forever. a brief conflict between her uncle and the current rulers caused mal to be summoned home. she was disappointed to say the least. to distract herself, she dedicated herself to her studies, spending hour upon hour in the library, reading about whatever subject she could get her hands on. it was politics and strategy that interested mala most. she proved herself to have a sharp mind for it. while her brothers and cousins were training for battle, she would sneak into her uncle's meetings and watch from the shadows; the advisors and other political officials often had to tolerate her endless questions.

eventually the short conflict between tanzania and ethiopia began cooling and as it did the two rulers began talks of reestablishing ties between the two countries. a variety of options were discussed but a betrothal proved the most beneficial for both. mal's uncle initially recommended his own daughter but the ethiopian king believed mal would be a better match since she had lived in ethiopia before and had been friends with the prince.

it wasn't long before mal was returning to ethiopia. the marriage wouldn't occur for a few years but living in the country she'd one day rule would give her time to adjust and learn. the current queen took malaika under her wing. under her guidance, mal added the art of healing to her repertoire of skills, one that was needed due to the battles needed to defend the country's lands.

malaika dedicated herself fully to the role of queen, standing proudly by her husband's side and advising him. the longer she ruled and directly saw the darker side of politics, the more wary mal grew of outsiders. ethiopia was blessed that it could stand on its own and thrive; she didn't want that threatened because they let others take advantage of them. her mistrust only grew when chala and her welcomed their first child into the world. as their family grew, she had more and more reason to be skeptical of outsiders.

the queen dowager's death utterly devastated mal. she'd viewed the woman as a second mother and her most important mentor. the two women would often sit together for a few hours everyday conversing, not only on matters affecting ethiopia but more casual conversation. grief and a desire for justice have created a dangerous storm within her; she won't rest until those responsible are punished.

headcanons.

an expert political strategist. she has studied the writings and teachings of many who have come before her, becoming well versed in countless methods and fashioning what ones work best in each situation. if her husband is the warrior then mal is the brain, no less of a warrior, simply one who fought with different weapons.

she's also a skilled healer, a skill that the late dowager queen taught her. she travels across ethiopia frequently to help treat the people if there's ever a battle or a rise of illness.

her knowledge of healing herbs eventually lead her to looking into herbs and concoctions that could do the opposite. poisons fascinated the queen. she began experimenting with them and has brought some of them with her to india as a precaution.

malaika loves being a wife and a mother. her family is extremely important to her; she would truly do anything for them.

around her family and those who have earned her trust, mal is extremely warm and empathetic. but whenever strangers are around, she can come across as cool and distant but still respectful - no one can say she doesn't conduct herself as a true queen should.

in secret, she started a network of spies a few years ago. they have mainly serve as an information gathering force, a safeguard in case other nations try plotting against ethiopia, but as tensions have grown, mal has begun looking for ways that her spies can act, ensuring that ethiopia remains one step ahead and even stop potential enemies before they can strike.

a big lover of animals! the menagerie is her favorite place in the ethiopian palace. she has two pets that she considers her own out of the animals that call the palace home: a female leopard who she nursed back to health and a snake that was given to her as a gift.

#i. malaika soloman ›› intro. #theopulent.intro